Fracking-Harmed Residents to Confront EPA Administrator, Demand Reopening of Investigation of Poisoned Drinking Water with 50,000+ Petitions at EPA Headquarters

For Immediate Release

Fracking-Harmed Residents to Confront EPA Administrator, Demand Reopening of Investigation of Poisoned Drinking Water with 50,000+ Petitions at EPA Headquarters

Action Comes on Heels of Report Showing EPA Officials Ignored Evidence from Local EPA Office that Found Pollution in Dimock Drinking Water

WASHINGTON -

Pennsylvania residents personally harmed by gas drilling and hydraulic fracturing or “fracking” traveled from their homes to deliver 50,000 petitions to EPA Administrator Gina McCarthy and President Obama to demand the reopening of the investigation into drinking water contamination in Dimock, PA. This action comes after a recent story by the Los Angeles Times that indicated that the EPA covered up evidence of contaminated water caused by the controversial drilling method. The residents have conducted press conferences along their trip to DC in Scranton and Philadelphia outside of the Region 3 EPA office. They will deliver about 50,000 petitions calling on the EPA to reopen investigations in Dimock and other locations and provide safe drinking water to residents while these investigations recommence.

What: Press conference with Pennsylvania residents harmed by fracking delivering 50,000 petitions and fracked water to EPA Administrator Gina McCarthy, demanding reopening of EPA fracking investigation following LA Times story of EPA cover up of water contamination

Ray Kemble – Dimock, PA resident and former gas industry employee-turned whistleblower. He has been living with contaminated water for more than four years. EPA tested his water as part of their investigation and told him that his cloudy, dirty, noxious smelling water is safe to drink. He now drives a makeshift water delivery truck to supply clean water to neighbors whom the EPA has ignored, supported by volunteer donations.

Craig Stevens – Silver Lake Township, PA resident and victim of repeated fracking-related contamination on his property. Instigated an EPA Region 3 investigation of his property after 100,000 gallons of toxic liquids were dumped there. Organized the movement to alert local EPA officials to toxic contamination in the Dimock region that led to the EPA investigation and subsequent cover-up.

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Food & Water Watch is a nonprofit consumer organization that works to ensure clean water and safe food. We challenge the corporate control and abuse of our food and water resources by empowering people to take action and by transforming the public consciousness about what we eat and drink.

Further

Whew. That was way too close for comfort. And yeah, the country's in a sorry state to have come to this. But not only does Doug Jones become the first Democrat to win a Senate seat in Alabama in 25 years; his win is a blunt rejection of all the hate-mongering, gay-bashing, race-baiting, sexual-assaulting, serial lying crap of losers Moore and Trump and Bannon and their ugly ilk. Forward to mid-terms. And once and for all, to Moore in all his evil: "Fuck you and the horse you (badly) rode in on."